Shadow Play
by Cap'n Sweaty
Summary: This story is set in the year 2014, 15 years after the events of SFIII: Third Strike. The story focuses on Ryu and how he has become very ill. Wanting to experience the thrill of competition one last time, he organizes the 5th World Warrior Tournament. Features 8 characters, including Mel Masters and the adopted daughter of Chun Li. Also contains six original characters.
1. Introduction

Shadow Play- A Chronicle of the 5th World Warrior Tournament

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ryu, Akuma, Chun-Li, Ken Masters or any of the other characters present in the Street Fighter series of video games. All of those likenesses are a product of Capcom. I do, however, have several original characters in this story.

Introduction

The year is 2014. It has been 15 years since the last chapter of the World Warrior story was written. A tremendous amount of change has taken place since then, both in the world at large, and in the lives of the Street Fighters themselves. Some fighters have retired from active competition, others have since passed on. Still others are actively training and fighting, just as they had done in the olden days.

The legendary fighter known as Ryu is still searching the world for strong opponents, seeking to increase his skills to the point of mastery. Ever since the Third Strike chronicles of 1999, Ryu has experienced a significant amount of growth as a warrior. He even succeeded in vanquishing his nemesis Akuma in battle. But now, something unsettling has happened. Ryu has become very ill, with a disease that is unknown to medicine at this time. As he grows weaker, he is also beginning to sense the Satsui no Hadou beginning to grow within him once again. Ryu has no doubt that this presence is making itself known again as a result of his final victory over Akuma. For the first time in his life, Ryu is feeling fearful and uncertain. He does not know what his future holds for him, or even if he has much of a future left. Knowing that time may be running out, Ryu wants to enjoy the thrill of competition one last time. Using his name and reputation, Ryu comes out of six years of solitary training to announce the Fifth World Warrior Tournament. Eight of the strongest and toughest fighters in the world have been invited to this competition, with the winner earning the right to fight with the legendary figure himself, Ryu. The stage is being set. On the eve of Ryu's 50th birthday, will he finally be able to achieve his goal of fighting his greatest challenge?


	2. Character Profiles

Chapter 1

_"Ugh!" _Ryu had just collapsed on the ground beneath a tall pine tree nestled beside the dojo where he had once trained as a boy. Ryu had just been thrown across the courtyard about 20 meters by an opponent he knew all too well. Getting back to his vertical base, Ryu looked hard into the red, demonic eyes of Akuma, perhaps his most challenging and frightening nemesis. Akuma stared back at him with an expression of intense hatred.

"Come on Ryu!" Akuma shouted, "I came here for a death match, not a sparring exhibition! Is this all you have to offer after all this time?"

The taunt from Akuma upset Ryu greatly. However, he refused to give in to his anger and hatred, lest he succumb to the dreaded _Satsui No Hadou _once again. Ryu kept his composure. The two combatants had been trading blows back and forth for about 10 minutes. Both fighters were able to do a good deal of damage to the other. However, due to the undying competitive spirit of both men, neither had been able to put the other one away up until this point.

Ryu said nothing, but continued to stare at Akuma, thinking, like a chess master, about what his next move would be. Ryu had always known that this day would come, ever since he first fought with Akuma several years after the disappearance of his master, Gouken. He was never sure about the exact time and date, but he always knew that one day, he would be facing Akuma in a fight to the death. This date happened to be sometime in the autumn of 2008, approximately ten years after the last World Warrior Tournament had ended. Since that time, Ryu had changed a great deal as a fighter. After spending several years training under the ancient martial arts master Oro in Brazil, Ryu had decided to return to the place "where it all began," the abandoned dojo of his Master in the mountainous area of west Japan. Ryu had spent the past five years here, reconnecting with his roots, training, and meditating. He also began competing in several small martial arts tournaments in order to make money to support himself. Even though the tournaments were small and localized, his name and reputation helped to draw larger than anticipated crowds, and this helped the tournament sponsors, and Ryu, make more money.

After taking some time to lick his wounds and ponder his next course of action, Ryu pressed forward to where Akuma was standing and attempted to catch him with a flying roundhouse kick. Akuma, almost feeling insulted by the obvious attack pattern, simply sidestepped Ryu and gave him a sharp roundhouse kick to the kidneys. Ryu, in obvious agony, sunk to the ground. Akuma then jumped straight into the air in an attempt to crush Ryu with a jumping stomp, but Ryu easily saw it coming. Ryu raised his right leg into the air, catching Akuma in the face before he could land the devastating blow. Ryu quickly made it back to his feet and began to institute a punching combination to the face and body of Akuma. About four of the intended blows hit their mark, but on the fifth punch, Akuma merely swatted Ryu's arm out of the way before delivering a stinging elbow strike to Ryu's temple. Ryu again fell to the ground. Even though Ryu was having troubles with Akuma at this stage, he still believed he could win the fight.

Ryu was forty-four years old as of 2008. Physically, not much had changed. He was still very recognizable from the last time the world watched him compete in the Third World Warrior Tournament. The only noticeable difference was that he now sported several more lines on his face due to aging. Even though he was of the age where most competitive martial artists would have long since retired, Ryu felt that he was just as strong, agile, and quick as he was on the day he defeated Sagat. Looking over at Akuma, however, Ryu was in awe of how little he had changed. He didn't seem to have aged at all since their last fight almost twenty years ago. Ryu was not sure how old Akuma was, but he guessed that he had to be well into his sixties. How could Akuma still pose a significant threat at his age? The _Satsui No Hadou _must be a lot stronger than he had imagined!

Akuma proceeded to pick Ryu up by his _gi,_ so that he could punish him some more. While Akuma grabbed Ryu by the collar, Ryu swatted his hands away and rocked him with a standard _Shoryuken_, knocking Akuma down to the ground. After Ryu landed, Akuma got up to his feet, with a devilish smile on his face. Laughing, he looked over at Ryu.

"That's right!" Akuma exulted, "Now you're starting to resemble the Ryu I once knew! It's time to end this feeling out process and go for the jugular! What do you say?"

"I've been looking forward to this!" Ryu replied,

"It's good to hear you say that! Now, Ryu, prepare to DIE!"

Akuma leaped into the air and unleashed a _Zankuu Hadouken _attack towards Ryu. Ryu countered by firing his own _Hadouken_, nullifying it. Akuma quickly translocated himself behind Ryu after his landing, catching the younger fighter off guard. Akuma unleashed a series of punches, kicks, and elbows to the face and body, causing Ryu to begin bleeding from the mouth. At the end, Akuma struck Ryu down with a _Gou Shoryuken_. As Ryu lay bleeding on the ground, Akuma attempted another _Zankuu hadouken. _This time, the attack landed, and it stunned Ryu. Akuma, knowing that Ryu was only stunned lifted Ryu up in an attempt to pulverize him with another Dragon Punch. Instead, Ryu regained his faculties and tapped into his chi, catching Akuma in a vicious _Shinkuu Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku. _Akuma must have been hit about ten times with Ryu's tornado like kicks, and the move sent Akuma flying about 10 meters across the dojo courtyard. Akuma got back to his feet, stunned. as Ryu attempted to put Akuma away quickly. Ryu decided to try and end the fight now with one of his most dangerous moves, the _Denjin Hadouken._ No doubt that the sheer amount of voltage in this energy ball would be enough to completely fry Akuma's body, causing a very agonizing death. Ryu charged up the ball of energy, before sending it in Akuma's direction. Akuma still had not recovered from the previous move. Ryu was certain that this would be the end of Akuma. The end of an intense rivalry that spanned decades. The end of an era.

Suddenly, right before the Electric Ball reached him, Akuma, with a flash in his eyes, regained himself, and began to translocate himself towards Ryu. He had been playing possum! Akuma had gathered all of his murderous intent, and began sailing towards Ryu in an attempt to finish him off for good with the _Shun Goku Satsu._ Perhaps the most feared technique in all of martial arts, the _Shun Goku Satsu _did not just kill an opponent, it tortured their very soul by sending them to many different types of purgatory, before ultimately erasing them from the very fabric of reality. It was the most painful, agonizing move that a fighter could feel before they died. Only one man had been lucky enough to survive the move, and he did it by completely emptying his soul of all feeling. As Akuma raced towards his opponent, Ryu knew that he had no time to avoid the move. In an instant, he knew he had to duplicate what old Gen was able to do. There was no time to think, only to act. As Akuma grabbed hold of Ryu, with the intent of sending him straight to hell, Ryu began emptying his spirit. He was unsure if he would survive, but he had to try…

The seconds dragged on for what seemed like hours. The spirits from the Netherworld tried to reach Ryu, they tried to take the very essence of his life and erase it from the fabric of the cosmos. It felt like he was trying to resist being sucked into a black hole, trying to fight the extreme force of gravity that was bearing down on him. There were times where he didn't think he would make it, there were times where he was sure he was dead. Laying on the ground, unable to move a muscle, Ryu was almost certain that he was dead, and that he had somehow managed to make it to the afterlife. Looking up through half closed eyes, he saw him. Standing over his motionless body, smiling down at him. The devil began to laugh, laugh so loud that the very trees began to shake as if being tormented by hurricane force winds. Akuma was relishing in what seemed like victory. _You're still alive though! He thinks that he's won! He doesn't know you are still alive, Ryu!_ It seemed like a voice from far off was whispering to Ryu. Where was this voice coming from? _He's about to turn and leave. Now is the time Ryu! Get him while his back is turned! He's too old to fulfill the destiny. Too weakened. His time is up! You must destroy him, Ryu! YOU must continue the legacy!_ As this mysterious voice continued to speak to Ryu, he began to notice that the prayer beads around Akuma's neck began to glow in a violet color. What was the meaning of this?

As Akuma began to walk away from the dojo courtyard, a sudden urge began to fill Ryu. The feeling was very familiar, similar to the time that he rose up to defeat Sagat. Only this time, the intensity felt about 100 times stronger. The surge of anger began to fill Ryu like never before. Kipping up to his feet, Ryu shouted in anger. Akuma hardly had time to turn around before seeing Ryu sail towards him at a speed that was almost too fast for the human eye to track. Almost immediately after the shout, Ryu reached out and grabbed Akuma, sending him straight to purgatory with the very move that Akuma relied upon to kill his opponents, the _Shun Goku Satsu. _There was no emptying of the spirit for Akuma, Ryu made sure that he didn't have enough time for that. Akuma felt the full bore of the move that he had dished out so many times before. Standing over the body of his fallen opponent. Ryu began to notice something. For some reason, he could not take his eyes of the prayer beads, the ones that, only moments ago, glowed in an eery, macabre, violet color. It seemed as though the beads were speaking to him, calling out to him. Reaching down, Ryu took the prayer beads which used to belong to his master's master, and placed them around his own neck. Taking one last look at the carnage on the battlefield, Ryu turned and began to walk away. As he did so, he was oblivious to the small amount of glowing purple energy that transferred from Akuma's body to his. 


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_"Ugh!" _Ryu had just collapsed on the ground beneath a tall pine tree nestled beside the dojo where he had once trained as a boy. Ryu had just been thrown across the courtyard about 20 meters by an opponent he knew all too well. Getting back to his vertical base, Ryu looked hard into the red, demonic eyes of Akuma, perhaps his most challenging and frightening nemesis. Akuma stared back at him with an expression of intense hatred.

"Come on Ryu!" Akuma shouted, "I came here for a death match, not a sparring exhibition! Is this all you have to offer after all this time?"

The taunt from Akuma upset Ryu greatly. However, he refused to give in to his anger and hatred, lest he succumb to the dreaded _Satsui No Hadou _once again. Ryu kept his composure. The two combatants had been trading blows back and forth for about 10 minutes. Both fighters were able to do a good deal of damage to the other. However, due to the undying competitive spirit of both men, neither had been able to put the other one away up until this point.

Ryu said nothing, but continued to stare at Akuma, thinking, like a chess master, about what his next move would be. Ryu had always known that this day would come, ever since he first fought with Akuma several years after the disappearance of his master, Gouken. He was never sure about the exact time and date, but he always knew that one day, he would be facing Akuma in a fight to the death. This date happened to be sometime in the autumn of 2008, approximately ten years after the last World Warrior Tournament had ended. Since that time, Ryu had changed a great deal as a fighter. After spending several years training under the ancient martial arts master Oro in Brazil, Ryu had decided to return to the place "where it all began," the abandoned dojo of his Master in the mountainous area of west Japan. Ryu had spent the past five years here, reconnecting with his roots, training, and meditating. He also began competing in several small martial arts tournaments in order to make money to support himself. Even though the tournaments were small and localized, his name and reputation helped to draw larger than anticipated crowds, and this helped the tournament sponsors, and Ryu, make more money.

After taking some time to lick his wounds and ponder his next course of action, Ryu pressed forward to where Akuma was standing and attempted to catch him with a flying roundhouse kick. Akuma, almost feeling insulted by the obvious attack pattern, simply sidestepped Ryu and gave him a sharp roundhouse kick to the kidneys. Ryu, in obvious agony, sunk to the ground. Akuma then jumped straight into the air in an attempt to crush Ryu with a jumping stomp, but Ryu easily saw it coming. Ryu raised his right leg into the air, catching Akuma in the face before he could land the devastating blow. Ryu quickly made it back to his feet and began to institute a punching combination to the face and body of Akuma. About four of the intended blows hit their mark, but on the fifth punch, Akuma merely swatted Ryu's arm out of the way before delivering a stinging elbow strike to Ryu's temple. Ryu again fell to the ground. Even though Ryu was having troubles with Akuma at this stage, he still believed he could win the fight.

Ryu was forty-four years old as of 2008. Physically, not much had changed. He was still very recognizable from the last time the world watched him compete in the Third World Warrior Tournament. The only noticeable difference was that he now sported several more lines on his face due to aging. Even though he was of the age where most competitive martial artists would have long since retired, Ryu felt that he was just as strong, agile, and quick as he was on the day he defeated Sagat. Looking over at Akuma, however, Ryu was in awe of how little he had changed. He didn't seem to have aged at all since their last fight almost twenty years ago. Ryu was not sure how old Akuma was, but he guessed that he had to be well into his sixties. How could Akuma still pose a significant threat at his age? The _Satsui No Hadou _must be a lot stronger than he had imagined!

Akuma proceeded to pick Ryu up by his _gi,_ so that he could punish him some more. While Akuma grabbed Ryu by the collar, Ryu swatted his hands away and rocked him with a standard _Shoryuken_, knocking Akuma down to the ground. After Ryu landed, Akuma got up to his feet, with a devilish smile on his face. Laughing, he looked over at Ryu.

"That's right!" Akuma exulted, "Now you're starting to resemble the Ryu I once knew! It's time to end this feeling out process and go for the jugular! What do you say?"

"I've been looking forward to this!" Ryu replied,

"It's good to hear you say that! Now, Ryu, prepare to DIE!"

Akuma leaped into the air and unleashed a _Zankuu Hadouken _attack towards Ryu. Ryu countered by firing his own _Hadouken_, nullifying it. Akuma quickly translocated himself behind Ryu after his landing, catching the younger fighter off guard. Akuma unleashed a series of punches, kicks, and elbows to the face and body, causing Ryu to begin bleeding from the mouth. At the end, Akuma struck Ryu down with a _Gou Shoryuken_. As Ryu lay bleeding on the ground, Akuma attempted another _Zankuu hadouken. _This time, the attack landed, and it stunned Ryu. Akuma, knowing that Ryu was only stunned lifted Ryu up in an attempt to pulverize him with another Dragon Punch. Instead, Ryu regained his faculties and tapped into his chi, catching Akuma in a vicious _Shinkuu Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku. _Akuma must have been hit about ten times with Ryu's tornado like kicks, and the move sent Akuma flying about 10 meters across the dojo courtyard. Akuma got back to his feet, stunned. as Ryu attempted to put Akuma away quickly. Ryu decided to try and end the fight now with one of his most dangerous moves, the _Denjin Hadouken._ No doubt that the sheer amount of voltage in this energy ball would be enough to completely fry Akuma's body, causing a very agonizing death. Ryu charged up the ball of energy, before sending it in Akuma's direction. Akuma still had not recovered from the previous move. Ryu was certain that this would be the end of Akuma. The end of an intense rivalry that spanned decades. The end of an era.

Suddenly, right before the Electric Ball reached him, Akuma, with a flash in his eyes, regained himself, and began to translocate himself towards Ryu. He had been playing possum! Akuma had gathered all of his murderous intent, and began sailing towards Ryu in an attempt to finish him off for good with the _Shun Goku Satsu._ Perhaps the most feared technique in all of martial arts, the _Shun Goku Satsu _did not just kill an opponent, it tortured their very soul by sending them to many different types of purgatory, before ultimately erasing them from the very fabric of reality. It was the most painful, agonizing move that a fighter could feel before they died. Only one man had been lucky enough to survive the move, and he did it by completely emptying his soul of all feeling. As Akuma raced towards his opponent, Ryu knew that he had no time to avoid the move. In an instant, he knew he had to duplicate what old Gen was able to do. There was no time to think, only to act. As Akuma grabbed hold of Ryu, with the intent of sending him straight to hell, Ryu began emptying his spirit. He was unsure if he would survive, but he had to try…

The seconds dragged on for what seemed like hours. The spirits from the Netherworld tried to reach Ryu, they tried to take the very essence of his life and erase it from the fabric of the cosmos. It felt like he was trying to resist being sucked into a black hole, trying to fight the extreme force of gravity that was bearing down on him. There were times where he didn't think he would make it, there were times where he was sure he was dead. Laying on the ground, unable to move a muscle, Ryu was almost certain that he was dead, and that he had somehow managed to make it to the afterlife. Looking up through half closed eyes, he saw him. Standing over his motionless body, smiling down at him. The devil began to laugh, laugh so loud that the very trees began to shake as if being tormented by hurricane force winds. Akuma was relishing in what seemed like victory. _You're still alive though! He thinks that he's won! He doesn't know you are still alive, Ryu!_ It seemed like a voice from far off was whispering to Ryu. Where was this voice coming from? _He's about to turn and leave. Now is the time Ryu! Get him while his back is turned! He's too old to fulfill the destiny. Too weakened. His time is up! You must destroy him, Ryu! YOU must continue the legacy!_ As this mysterious voice continued to speak to Ryu, he began to notice that the prayer beads around Akuma's neck began to glow in a violet color. What was the meaning of this?

As Akuma began to walk away from the dojo courtyard, a sudden urge began to fill Ryu. The feeling was very familiar, similar to the time that he rose up to defeat Sagat. Only this time, the intensity felt about 100 times stronger. The surge of anger began to fill Ryu like never before. Kipping up to his feet, Ryu shouted in anger. Akuma hardly had time to turn around before seeing Ryu sail towards him at a speed that was almost too fast for the human eye to track. Almost immediately after the shout, Ryu reached out and grabbed Akuma, sending him straight to purgatory with the very move that Akuma relied upon to kill his opponents, the _Shun Goku Satsu. _There was no emptying of the spirit for Akuma, Ryu made sure that he didn't have enough time for that. Akuma felt the full bore of the move that he had dished out so many times before. Standing over the body of his fallen opponent. Ryu began to notice something. For some reason, he could not take his eyes of the prayer beads, the ones that, only moments ago, glowed in an eery, macabre, violet color. It seemed as though the beads were speaking to him, calling out to him. Reaching down, Ryu took the prayer beads which used to belong to his master's master, and placed them around his own neck. Taking one last look at the carnage on the battlefield, Ryu turned and began to walk away. As he did so, he was oblivious to the small amount of glowing purple energy that transferred from Akuma's body to his. 


End file.
